Today, the Billiard Education Foundation (BEF) is proud to announce that the American Poolplayers Association (APA) will be named as the official travel sponsor for the BEF’s Team USA as they prepared to represent their county at the 2024 WPA World Junior 10-Ball Championships in Hamilton, New Zealand this September.
The APA, the world’s largest amateur pool league, has a storied history of promoting and supporting pool at all levels, and has a long history of championing and supporting youth players. This partnership helps ensure that America’s top young pool players can continue to develop as athletes and compete against the best the world has to offer.
“This new partnership with the BEF underscores APA’s commitment to nurturing young talent and providing them with opportunities to succeed,” said APA marketing director Jason Bowman. “Our organization has always been about creating opportunities for players, and this partnership allows us to extend that mission to the next generation of pool champions. We can’t wait to see what these young players will achieve on an international stage.”
With the funds raised from this partnership, the APA and BEF will cover the roundtrip airfare to New Zealand for the three junior 10-ball champions from the 2024 BEF Junior Nationals, which include: Adrian Prasad, Sofia Mast, and Hayden Ernst.
“Having the opportunity to compete on the world stage without the burden of travel expenses allows our players to focus on what they do best—playing exceptional pool,” said BEF managing director Shane Tyree. “We are grateful for the APA’s commitment to supporting the next generation of champions and look forward to seeing our players shine in New Zealand.”
The BEF has been dedicated to promoting the sport of billiards to young players across the United States for more than three decades. Its mission is to provide opportunities for personal growth and development through the game of billiards, emphasizing sportsmanship, leadership, and academic excellence. By partnering with the APA, the BEF is able to enhance its support for young players, ensuring they have the resources needed to compete at the highest levels.
About Billiard Education Foundation (BEF)
The Billiard Education Foundation (BEF) was formed in 1993 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity committed to promoting a lifelong love of pool and building the next generation of players through youth programs and academic scholarships. The BEF also sanctions Junior State Championships, produces the annual BEF Junior National Pool Championships and qualifies young players each year to compete at the WPA World Junior Championships. Visit BilliardEducation.org to learn more about junior programs in your area.
About American Pool Players Association (APA)
The APA, based in Lake Saint Louis, Mo., sanctions the world’s largest amateur pool league, known as the APA Pool League throughout the United States, and as the Canadian Pool League in Canada. Nearly 250,000 members compete in weekly 8-Ball and 9‑Ball League play. The APA is generally recognized as the Governing Body of Amateur Pool, having established the official rules, championships, formats and handicap systems for the sport of amateur billiards. The APA produces four major tournaments—the APA World Pool Championships, the APA Junior Championships, the APA Poolplayer Championships, the U.S. Amateur Championship—that, together, pay out nearly $2 Million in cash and prizes annually!
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